A typical switch box is a data communications system that has at least one switch integrated circuit (IC) chip mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) and a large number of electrical I/O ports. In high channel density, high data rate switch boxes, the switch IC chip has a large number of channels and performs a large number of switching operations at very high speed. Such switch IC chips use a large amount of electrical current and generate large amounts of heat. The switch box includes a housing that is typically a metal box of a standard rackmount size having a front panel in which the I/O ports are disposed and a bottom on which the PCB is disposed. Various types of heat dissipation solutions are used in switch boxes to dissipate the heat generated by the switch IC chips, but they typically include devices that spread the heat (e.g., thermal pads and heat spreaders) and devices that convectively remove heat (e.g., fans and plenums).
In some data communications systems, the electrical I/O ports are replaced with optical I/O ports. In such cases, the electrical signals that are output from the switch IC chip are converted from the electrical domain to the optical domain and sent over optical waveguides (e.g., optical fibers) to the optical I/O ports. The optical signals that are received via the optical I/O ports are converted from the optical domain to the electrical domain and digitized before being input to the switch IC chip.
Standards exist that define different sizes for the metal box that houses the components of the system. To accommodate high channel count and high data rate, a larger box needs to be used in order to accommodate all of the optical, electrical and optoelectronic components as well has a robust thermal management system.
A need exists for an optical CSP that is suitable for use in a high channel density, high data rate communications system having optical I/O ports and that enables the system to be housed in a smaller box than that which would typically be needed to house a high channel density, high data rate communications system with optical I/O ports and a robust thermal management solution.